In legal education, grades play an outsized role in shaping a student’s professional future. Law firms, government agencies, and other legal employers often rely heavily on academic performance when reviewing new graduates, which makes grades one of the most decisive elements of a student’s career prospects. Because many law schools use strict grading curves—often based almost entirely on a single final exam—the process can be unforgiving. Nonetheless, certain institutions offer pathways that may allow students to raise their GPAs, though these options are often most accessible to students with greater financial means.
One strategy available at some schools involves enrolling in summer courses or classes offered between regular semesters. In many cases, these smaller, off-term courses are not subject to the usual grading curve. Schools may avoid applying the curve because the limited number of students makes curve-based comparison more difficult. Additionally, students tend to carry lighter academic loads during these periods, giving them more time to prepare and increasing their chances of earning stronger grades. With fewer classmates and no requirement to fit grades into a predetermined distribution, professors may feel more freedom to award higher marks.
However, taking summer or intersession classes often requires students to pay additional tuition. For many law students already struggling with the high costs of the regular academic year, these extra expenses may be out of reach. Scholarships and financial aid packages frequently do not cover off-term courses, and enrolling in summer classes can also conflict with internships or employment opportunities that might be valuable on a résumé. Students with more financial flexibility can take advantage of these GPA-boosting options, while those with fewer resources may not be able to do so.
Another opportunity at some law schools involves study-abroad programs, through which students can earn credits at foreign universities. Although grading structures vary, some of these programs do not use the same rigid curve as standard law school classes, and in certain cases, the resulting grades count toward a student’s GPA. Even when they do not affect GPA calculations directly, these programs allow students to accumulate academic credits without the risk of lowering their averages.
Yet study-abroad programs are also most accessible to students with substantial financial resources. Such opportunities often fall outside the coverage of financial aid, and students may need to pay significant travel costs and living expenses in addition to the program’s tuition. For wealthier students, these programs may serve as another avenue for strengthening academic standing.
Although many law students and institutions publicly express a commitment to academic fairness, the reality remains that certain GPA-enhancing opportunities are unevenly distributed. Law schools may need to examine these programs more closely to ensure that students with greater financial resources do not gain disproportionate advantages in boosting their academic performance.